


reunite

by Mistflyer1102



Category: Star Wars Legends - All Media Types
Genre: Family, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:47:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26760862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mistflyer1102/pseuds/Mistflyer1102
Summary: Leia encounters someone she thought she would never see again.
Relationships: Winter Celchu & Leia Organa
Kudos: 6





	reunite

It was late at night when she finally slipped out of her room. 

Seven years, and the gardens at the palace at the capitol of the planet Calazon had not changed very much since Leia’s last visit. She had been fourteen, a brand new aide in her father’s diplomatic entourage. It had also been the same visit that she had fully joined in her father’s rebellious activities, having let her curiosity get the better of her and skulk around in the dark until she had found him in a clandestine meeting. It felt strange to be here again years later, this time seeking refuge and alliances instead of greeting allies, but the magistrate had welcomed the Rebels with open, if discreet, arms. “ _ Our alliance with Alderaan is an ancient one, and we will always honor it,” _ the magistrate had told Leia when she’d braced herself for an intense negotiation for safety.

Even two years later, the loss of Alderaan remained a raw and open wound.

She stepped out of the hall and onto the veranda, a smile forming as she spotted the moonlight-illuminated lily ponds where she definitely recalled playing in when she was younger. She glanced around to make sure no one else was around, and then snuck closer to the low stone wall that surrounded the pond. The scent of the lilies and other blooms hung in the air, the last lingering grasps of a Calazon summer. Leia slipped onto the wall, sitting cross-legged as she stared into the dark water. She had last played here with one of the then magistrate’s attendants -- a soldier now, she had heard, in the Imperial army -- getting soaked through as she had splashed around in the water under the attendant’s watchful eye. As far as Leia thought, her father had never found out, since she had snuck back into her rooms in her wet nightgown and changed quickly to avoid getting caught.

_ Force, I miss them. _ Leia drew her knees to her chest, and rested her chin on top as she stared out across the ponds.

She didn’t know how many hours passed before she heard rustling off to the side. She didn’t think, just reached for the small blaster she kept at her side as she turned to face the figure in the shadows. Han and Chewie were _ supposed  _ to be running a patrol, but given their track record for getting sidetracked, she would not have been surprised if someone managed to give them the slip. 

“Leia?”

Leia froze at the familiar female voice. “Winter?” she whispered, lowering the blaster.

The woman who stepped out of the shadows had shorter hair than Leia remembered, and was wearing the familiar gold, red and blue colors of the Calazon royal family, but Leia still recognized Winter Retrac, her best friend, her  _ sister _ . Leia didn’t recall dropping the blaster, just heard a faint  _ plop _ as it landed in the water as she stood and jumped down, fighting back tears as she and Winter ran to each other. Winter was now a few inches taller than Leia, and she nearly knocked Leia back as the two collided into each other. Leia wrapped her arms tightly around Winter, her sobs muffled as she felt Winter’s arms tighten as they clutched each other. Relief and grief surged in her heart as Leia buried her face into Winter’s shoulder, the tears silently flowing now as she heard Winter’s soft sobs. Leia could see tear streaks down Winter’s face as they pulled back, and Leia imagined her face was just as messy.

“I thought you had--”

“I heard you were--”

They both stopped when they realized they were speaking over each other, and then Leia smiled, biting her lip to keep from crying further. “I missed you, I thought--” she began, but stopped, unable to finish the thought.

Winter nodded, wiping her eyes. “I was off-planet,” she whispered, looking down. “I crossed paths with Captain Solo a year or so ago, he told me you made it out.”

_ And Han must have let her pass through tonight _ . Leia would spare him the lecture she’d been mentally composing the past five minutes. “Well, I’m glad he told you, normally he talks too much. He enjoys making a nuisance of himself and unfortunately, I let him,” Leia studied Winter’s face, cataloguing every change that she could find while knowing that Winter, with her perfect memory, was doing the same. She gestured for Winter to follow her before they began to walk back into the hall. Leia hesitated, not even sure where to start, didn’t know if it was selfish to ask first about any other members of the royal family who may have escaped as opposed to business updates, she knew Winter had been gathering intel at their father’s request around the time of Alderaan’s destruction.. “I...I have so many questions,” she finally admitted, turning to face Winter.

“So do I, but the important thing is, we’re back together again,” Winter said before pulling her into a tight hug.

And for once in months, Leia felt that things were going to be alright.

**Author's Note:**

> Star Wars and all related media belong to Disney.


End file.
